As a Tampa newborn photographer and educator for photographers, I get asked about milestone sessions all the time! Parents want to know how often they “should” come in for milestone sessions. Photographers want to know how I get clients to come in every 3 or 6 months. It can all feel a little overwhelming, but I can assure you it doesn’t have to be.

The truth is there is no one-size-fits all for this. Some families want to document their baby every chance they get and others prioritize the “bigger” milestones. Both are totally fine! What it comes down to is having a plan going into it so that when you are on the other side of that milestone, you don’t have any regrets.

Traditional Milestones and the “In-Between” Milestones

With my first baby I chose to do the traditional milestone sessions- newborn, 6 months, and 1 year. At the end of his first year, I looked back and realized that although only six months had passed in between each of his sessions, he changed SO much. Fast forward to when I had my second, I knew that I had to photograph those “in-between” moments too, so we did newborn, 3, 6, and 9 months, and her first birthday. I am currently doing the same for our third.

Photographers, if you think your clients won’t book sessions every 3 months, think again! They may just not know, and it’s your job to educate them. Educate them on the differences between a newborn 3 month old, a 3 and 6 month old, a 6 month old and a 9 month old, a 9 month old and a 1 year old. Three months isn’t a lot of time, but in that first year, it’s almost too much time to let pass.

Krew at 3, 6 and 9 months!

The Kiermaier’s welcomed their second baby boy, Krew, this year and have been documenting him grow every 3 months. We started with Krew’s newborn session and below you will see his 3 month, 6 month and 9 month milestone sessions. You can see just how much he’s grown in the first set of photos.

As much as Krew has grown, some things remain the same- his dark hair, eyes and a smile that will melt your heart and so much love for his Momma. I have loved seeing his relationship with big brother, Karter, grow too. They are so sweet together, and I have a feeling the best is yet to come for these two!

Spoiler alert…Krew just turned one, and I can’t wait to share that session on the blog soon!

3 Month Milestone Session

Tummy time is usually the big milestone we’re photographing during this session. We’ll also get them on their back and depending on their size, we may still use the beanbag. At 3 months, babies are still pretty sleepy and tire easily. You may get some sleepy photos or find that they want to be held by Mom or Dad. If parents are joining, I love recreating some of their favorite newborn photos. It’s a fun and sweet way for them to see just how much their baby has grown.

6 Month Milestone Session with Family

The 6 month session is also known as the “sitter” session and my absolute favorite age. Whether your baby is sitting unassisted or needs support, we’ll make sure we document what they are doing. At this age, your baby may also be rolling, is becoming more interactive and smiling, and starting to play with toys.

Oftentimes that 3 and 9 month milestone session is baby only (sometimes with an older sibling or Mom), so I love when families join for the 6 month milestone session. We still get a fair amount of just baby, but getting to photograph their interactions with you at this age is so special.

9 Month Milestone Session

By 9 months, your baby is likely on the move. Whether that’s rolling faster, scooting on their belly or full-on crawling, they are getting busier by the day! As active as they are, it doesn’t stop those squishy rolls from growing!

This is definitely one of those “in-between” milestones that is worth documenting. Just three months ago Krew was learning to sit and now he’s crawling all over the place and standing. By his first birthday, so much more will have changed. Can you imagined if Mom and Dad would have missed out on having these memories forever?

If you’re a family in the Tampa area and interested in documenting your baby’s milestones throughout his/her first year, contact me!

Photographers, come join our Facebook community and catch the replay where I taught on this exact topic.